Cutting device wherein knife has compound movement



Jan. 23, 1951 l. DEMPSTER 2,539,232

CUTTING DEVICE WHEREIN KNIFE HAS COMPOUND MOVEMENT Filed Oct. 9, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l l u um tor 'IRVI NG DEMPSTER wa awe; L,

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I. DEMPSTER 2,539,232

CUTTING DEVICE WHEREIN KNIFE HAS COMPOUND MOVEMENT Jan. 23, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9, 1945 Inventor mvms DEM PSTER Jan. 23, 1 951 I. DEMPSTER CUTTING DEVICE WHEREIN KNIFE HAS COMPOUND MOVEMENT Filed Oct. 9, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor |RV-| HG DEMPSTER.

WWW H M1 Patented Jan. 23, 1951 CUTTING DEVICE WHEREIN KNIFE HAS COMPOUND MOVEMENT Irving Dempster, Fort Plain, N. Y.

Application October 9, 1945, Serial No. 621,290

3 Claims. 1

- This invention relates to a food stock forming machine, and more particularly to such a machine adapted for the forming of food stuffs, such as hamburger, chopped meat products of all kinds, and similar semi-pasty substances into ribbon-like form.

A primary object of this invention is the formation of food stuff, such as hamburger or the like, into lore-shaped patties of a desired configuration and shape, whereby the same may be readily formed into sandwiches or the like.

An additional object of the invention is the formation of such patties previously disposed on a'suitable paper backing and cutting the food stuli and the paper simultaneously to a desired size.

An important feature of this invention is the provision of a device adapted for the formation, kneading and cutting Of food stufis such as hamburger into ribbon-like strips of a predetermined and desired length.

A further important feature of the invention is the provision of such a structure adapted for the speeding up of the formation of such strips or patties, whereby the quantity of sandwiches, or the like, made by the operator may be substantially increased.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of such a device which will be sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eificient in operation and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, and operate.

Other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and. disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment-of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view, partially broken away, disclosing a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a constructional detail,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the elements shown in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 5 is a side elevational view, certain parts thereof being broken away and certain parts thereof being shown in section, of the device shown inFigure 1,

Figure ,6 is a fragmentarytop plan view of one,

end of the construction shown in Figure 5, certain parts thereof being broken away,

Figure? is an end view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the construction shown in Figure 5, as viewed from the left,

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 of Figure 5, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view, partially in elevation and partially in section, disclosing certain of the operating elements shown in Figure '7,

Figure 10 is a perspectiv view, partially broken away, of a constructional detail, certain of the elements thereof being indicated in dotted lines,

Figure 11 is an elevational View of a detail of construction shown in Figure 10,

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the elements shown in Figure 11,

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the constructional detail shown inFigures 11 and '12,

Figure 1 1 is a side elevational view of the mounting means disclosed in Figure 13,

Figure 15 is a plan view of one of the mounting brackets shown in Figure 7,

Figure 16 is a plan view of the mounting bracket on the opposite side of the device,

Figure 17 is a side view of the bracket shown in Figure 16,

Figure 18 is a perspective view of the brackets shown in Figures 16 and 17 showing the means of connecting certain associated mechanism thereto,

Figure 19 is a fragmentary view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a modified form of construction, and

v Figure 20 is a top plan view of a detail of construction shown in Figure 19.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views Of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1, there is generally indicated at a supporting frame, including legs 25, and a supporting table-like surface 21. The surface 2'! carries sde walls 28, between'which extend supporting rods 29 carrying blocks 30, to which is secured, as by suitable'bolts 3|, a'base 32 for a meat grinder and/or compressor or the like, 33 of any desired conventional type, adapted to be driven in any suitable manner, as by a drive belt connected to a pulley 34 mounted on the drive shaft 35 of the grinder and/or compressor and driven from any suitable source of power, such as an electric motor (not shown). The grinder 33 is provided'with a discharge nozzle 36, terminating in a discharge opening in the form of an elongated slot horizontal to the base 21 of the device.

The meat leaving the nozzle 38 is fed onto an angularly inclined table 45 carried by supporting blocks 4|, mounted on shafts d2 extending between the side Walls 28. As best shown in Figure 2, the table All includes a gude block 65 for the food stuffs, and is provided at one end with a paper guide 46, comprising a plate having an elongated slot 6'5 therein, through which paper is fed, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, and a pair of slots d8 through which screws 49 are passed to secure the plate to the base of the table ill, the slots being provided to permit lateral adjustment of the plate, and correspondingly the slot 4?, to center the paper directly in alignment with the discharge nozzle 36. The plate 45 also carries an additional guide 50, provided with a slot through which a screw 52 passes to hold the same adjustably to the upper surface of the table All adjacent the lower extremity thereof, the guide 55 being provided with an arcuate upstanding lug 54% to bear against the edge of the paper supporting the food stuffs. Obviously, the guide may be relatively positioned to accommodate a desired width of paper carrying the food stuffs as fed from the nozzle.

A table knife 55, or fixed cutting blade, is

adapted to be secured to the lower side of the table 40, as by means of screws engaging suitable longitudinally extending slots 55 in such manner that the cutting edge 57 may be adjustably positioned with respect to the table ill. As best shown in Figure 4, the plate 55 carries a food guide 69,

mounted on a screw 6| secured in the p ate 55, and suitably spaced therefrom as by a guide plate 62 and spacing washers 63 and 64. This guide 60 is for the purpose of preventing food stuff from piling up on the rear edge of a movable knife, to be more fully described hereinafter, coacting with the fixed knife surface 51 of the plate 55.

Paper I5 is adapted to be carried on a roll II mounted on an axle I2 suitably journaled in slotted lugs I3 secured between the side walls 28 and beneath the table 55. The position of the roll is adjustable laterally on the shaft I2, as by means of a set-screw '54.

A guide roll, generally indicated at I5, and comprised of two end disks i6 is mounted for rotation on a shaft TE and spaced apart as by a tubular sleeve '18. A nut I5 engaging the threaded end of bolt ll serves to hold the parts in related assembly. lhe guide roller is mounted in vertically extending slots 85 in upwardly extending lugs SI carried by a plate 32 bent at its extremity to form a channel 83 (see Fig. 14), which channel is adapted to be positioned slidably about a transverse flattened bar 34 having upwardly turned extremities 35 and adapted to be secured, as by means of screws 55, between the side walls 28. Thus it will be seen that the guide roller assembly is movable transversely between the side walls 23 for proper adjustment relative to the nozzle 35.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that as the meat leaves the nozzle 36, the paper it having previously been passed through the slot 4! and over the upper surface of the table 45,

that the meat sticks to the paper, being held thereon by the relatively light pressure of the disks l5, and as the meat is ejected from the nozzle 33, it is carried by gravity along the inclined table 53, carrying the paper with it, be-

tween the guide blocks and the guide 54, and under the guide plate to the knife edge 51 of the plate 55. From this point, the meat or other food stuff passes over an inclined plate 98 onto the table surface 21, suitably positioned on top of the paper III. The food stuff is adapted to be cut into desired lengths adjacent the knife edge 5! of the plate 55 in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

Relatively free movement of the paper Ill is provided by mounting the roller II in ball bearings 9|, positioned in channels between end plates 92 and collars 93 in which the set-screws M are positioned, (see Fig. 8). It is to be noted that a sleeve 94 surrounds collars 95 mounted on the shaft l2 and that the paper I0 is positioned around the sleeve 94, thus insuring relatively free feeding of the paper I0 when engaged by the food stuff, the latter being indicated at 95.

Referring now to the movable knife, the means for cutting the food stuff to a desired length, it will be seen, as best shown in Figure 7, that the knife comprises a cutting blade 95 rovided, at its extremity, with a slot 9'5 within which a pivot 98 is adapted to move. The pivot 98 is carried by a lever 99 which extends through a suitable slot IilIl in a bracket lilI mounted on one of the side walls 28. The sides of the slot are provided with guide flanges I52, and the slot Iilll is aligned with a slot I63 extending through the walls 28. The lever 95 terminates in an operating handle I65.

A coil spring N16 is suitably secured to the lever 99 at a point adjacent pivot 98 but spaced therefrom toward pivot I26 the spring extends upwardly through an aperture H31 in a top bar Hi8 extending across the top of the side walls 28 into a cylindrical housing E69, being secured therein, as by means of a cotter pin I It. A suitable cover III is provided for the top of the cylindrical housing I 09.

As best shown in Figures '7 and 15, the plate IfII carries, at an intermediate point, a lug III, to which is secured one end of a transverse bar II2, the other end of which is secured to a corresponding lug II3, carried by a plate 5M oppositely positioned on the opposite side wall 28 with respect to the plate IBI. The supporting bar I I2 is adapted to carry the upper extremit of the guide plate 96. The lower end of the plate IIJI carries a pair of spaced lugs II5 between which is secured, as by means of a pivot H6, the end of a lever I I], the opposite end of which extends outwardly through a slot H8 in plate I24 and through a corresponding slot IE9 in the side wall 28. The end of the knife 95 opposite the pivot 98 is pivotally secured, as by a pivot I20, in a bracket E 2i pivotally mounted on a pivot E22 secured to the lever II! at a point relatively closely adjacent the slot H3 through which its extremity passes. The opposite end of the lever 99 is pivotally secured between lugs I25 carried by the upper extremity of plate IHl. From the foregoing, it will now be seen that when the handle [35 is pressed downwardly, the lever 99 swings about its pivot 26 between lugs I25 and, through the pivot 58, causes the knife blade to swing downwardly in an arc. Simultaneously, as the knife reaches the lower extremity of this are, the lever ill is caused to swing about an are about the pivot H5, thus effectively lowering the knife 96 well below the cutting edge 51 of the plate 55 and effectively severing both the meat product 95 and its associated paper 10.

A modified form of construction is disclosed in Figures 19 and 20 wherein a nozzle 86' is dis closed with a cylindrical opening 35 instead of the elongated slot of the nozzle 36 and is adapted to feed food studs 95 in roll form for various usages.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved device for the shaping and cutting of food stuffs, in ribbon form, whereby the food stuif, such as hamburger, is fed from the mixer through a nozzle onto the table 40, overlying a strip of paper H3, and thence downwardly between the cutting blades 86 and 5'! to be severed into any desired lengths, and of the requisite shape. It will also be seen that a plurality of adjustments are provided whereby the width of the food may be varied, and the paper relatively positioned so that the food stuff may be centered thereon, and correspondingly that the various guide means for the paper and food stuff may be satisfactorily aligned to provide a perfect patty of any desired relative length.

If desired, as best shown in Figure 1, the assembly may be provided with an end plate or cover 138 hinged, as by hinges I31, to the end plate I08.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that there is herein provided a device accomplishing all the objects of this invention, and others, in cluding many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As'many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. For use with a food treating apparatus, a cutter mechanism comprising a fixed cutter, a frame supporting said fixed cutter, said frame having a first and a second slot in opposite first and. second walls thereof, a lever pivoted to said first Wall and passed through the slot in said second wall, a knife connected with said lever by a pin and slot connection at one end of said knife, the opposite end of said knife having a bracket pivotally secured thereto, a second lever pivoted to the second wall and having one end passed through the slot in said first wall, said bracket being secured pivotally to said second lever whereby upon movement of said first mentioned lever, said knife is pivoted about the 6 pivotal connection between said bracket and said second lever and said second lever is pivotally operated with said knife.

2. For use with a food treating apparatus, a cutter mechanism comprising a fixed cutter, a frame supporting said fixed cutter, said frame having a first and a second slot in opposite first and second walls thereof, a lever pivoted to said first wall and passed through the slot in said second wall, a knife connected with said lever by a pin and slot connection at one end of said knife, the opposite end of said knife having a bracket pivotally secured thereto, a second lever pivoted to the second wall and having one end passed through the slot in said first wall, said bracket being secured pivotally to said second lever whereby upon movement of said first mentioned lever, said knife is pivoted about the pivotal connection between said bracket and said second lever and said second lever is pivotally operated with said knife, a spring secured to said frame and secured to said lever opposing the pivotal operation of said lever, and said fixed cutter being disposed at the end of a plate which is adapted to support the article to be cut.

3. In a foodstuif treating apparatus which includes a frame having spaced Walls, a guide plate disposed between said spaced walls adapted to support the articles to be cut, said guide plate having a stationary cutter edge, a lever pivotally secured to one of said Walls and a knife pivoted to said lever, a second lever pivoted to the other of said walls, means consisting of a link connecting said knife and said second lever, whereby pivotal operation of said first lever pivotally actuates said knife and said second lever which is disposed below the stationary cutter portion of said plate so that said second lever is displaced away from said plate when said knife is operated.

IRVING DEMPSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,651,176 Bannon Nov. 29, 1927 1,675,563 Klohe July 3, 1928 1,926,245 Schmitt Sept. 12, 1933 2,085,108 Louisot et al. June 29, 1937 2,209,824 Louisot et al. July 30, 1940 

